Bengal-J'khand border sealed to halt unscrupulous potato traders

The state government prevented movement of potato-laden trucks through the interstate border

- RAJIB CHAKRABORTY

A day before Jharkhand Assembly poll results were to be declared, the Bengal government sealed the Bengal-Jharkhand border for potato transportation in the neighbouring state.

This comes after chief minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her discontent over the rising prices of potatoes in the local markets and the export of potatoes to other states.

The state government prevented movement of potato-laden trucks through the interstate border like Bengal-Jharkhand and Bengal-Assam.

These preventions will be withdrawn after chief minister Mamata Banerjee will decide further on this matter.

During an administrative meeting at Nabanna yesterday, CM voiced her concerns and instructed officials to monitor the state's borders to control the export of potatoes to other states.

Today, chief secretary Manoj Panth conducted a meeting of state task force at Nabanna, where it was decided to curb the rising prices of potatoes in the state markets.

Members of state task force, monitoring prices of essential commodities and vegetables, Rabindranath Koley said this is not a permanent decision to prevent potato truck movement across border.